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In Celebration of Lunch: Top 5 Prix-Fixe Menus in Paris

For Parisians, lunch is where it’s at. Breakfast usually consists of coffee and cigarettes (and maybe a tartine), and weekday dinners are often simple affairs as well. But lunch is the moment when many kick back and enjoy every last second before returning to the office. Weekday lunches can extend to 1.5 hours and weekend lunches are nearly interminable. Both often involve wine, philosophizing, and simultaneously savoring / complaining about life (a finely tuned Parisian art). But unlike dinner, you then have all afternoon to walk, nap, or work it off. In case you couldn’t tell: I am a fan of lunch.

Le Miroir – Maggie Battista

More importantly, lunch is also the best time to sample some of Paris’ best cuisine at reasonable prices, as many restaurants offer a prix-fixe lunch menu that highlights the day’s specials. While your options are limited, they will likely feature the freshest, most seasonal ingredients. So kick back and relax, knowing that you are in gastronomically capable hands. My top 5 picks are as follows.

1. Robert et Louise—Lunch deal of the century! For just 12€, you can select from a variety of entrées and the one or two featured plats of the day. Vegetarians beware: this place is all about meat, meat, and more meat (cooked on a fire right in front of you). This homey spot is the perfect place to curl up for a rainy day feast followed by an afternoon stroll (or, better yet, nap). 64, Rue Vieille du Temple, 3ème. Tel: 01 42 78 55 89‎. Metro: Saint Paul (Line 1) or Hotel de Ville (Lines 1 and 11).

2. Café des Musées—14€ will get you the specified entrée and plat of the day. When I last went, this included a warm lentil salad with fresh greens, followed by a serious coq au vin. We rounded it out with a carafe of nice house red. The waitstaff here is friendly and accommodating, and the resto’s location in the heart of the Marais makes it a great stop in between museums, galleris, or boutiques. 49, rue de Turenne, 3ème. Tel: 01 42 72 96 17. Metro: St. Paul (Line 1) or Chemin Vert (Line 8).

Le Miroir – Maggie Battista

4. Le Miroir—A HIP favorite in Montmartre. The staff is friendly and helpful, and theprix-fixe includes a variety of options. For 18€, you get a plat, a glass of wine (expertly paired with your dish), and a scrumptious café gourmand which is the perfect way to round out the meal. 94, rue des Martyrs, 18ème. Tel: 01 46 06 50 73. Metro: Abbesses (Line 12) or Pigalle (Lines 2 and 12).

5. Glou—Hip, modern, and pricey (some might say over-priced) at night, this is a cool-but-not-pretentious lunch spot. You’ll have a few choices and can opt for menus of 16€ or 20€. Going on the early side ensures they won’t run out of anything! 101, rue Vieille du Temple, 18ème. Tel: 01 42 74 44 32. Metro: Saint Sebastien-Froissart (Line 8 ) or Arts et Metiers (Lines 3 and 11).

So there you have it. Now do you understand why I love lunch so much? Any great spots we missed? Let us know!

Note: It’s always smart to reserve ahead of time, especially during tourist season (April – October).

Café des Musées- Maggie Battista

Written by Tory Hoen for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

Written By

Tory Hoen

After attending Brown University and spending two years in New York, Tory bought a one-way ticket to Paris to pursue her dream of becoming a writer (and of drinking wine at lunch). During her time in the City of Light, she chronicled the euphoric highs and the laughable lows of ex-pat life on her blog, A Moveable Beast. Though she's now based in New York, she travels frequently to Montreal and Brazil, and she'll use just about any excuse to jet to Paris ("I ran out of fleur de sel"). A regular contributor to Hip Paris, Tory also writes for New York Magazine, Time Out New York, and she is a co-author of Gradspot.com's Guide To Life After College. View Website

12 comments on “In Celebration of Lunch: Top 5 Prix-Fixe Menus in Paris”

[…] to please all types. English menus don’t mean much these days. I’ve had superb meals at Café des Musees, Glou and Breizh Cafe, and if anything, the English-language menu placed before me at each spot […]

Great selection: I’d add La Cantine de Quentin just of Canal Saint Martin, and Chateaubriand in the same area. Eating out at lunch is always the best way to go to places that might otherwise be out of budget. As for packing for Paris, always take a map and an umbrella, but there’s some more detailed advice here http://tinyurl.com/yf7p3ma

Tory,
I am so glad to see Cafe Constant on your list! I have been going there for many years and the food is always delicious. In fact, I had a better gazpacho at Cafe Constant than I ended up having in Spain! My friend and I are excited about our upcoming stay in the HIP Monceau apartment (April). We have questions for you about what to wear since it is early spring yet will most likely be cold. I’ve never gone this time of year and have no idea what to pack!

Thanks, kathy

P.S. My friend is a cashmere designer and we’re hoping to wear some of her line during the trip… what do you think?